


Abeford

by daisyisawriter91



Series: James Shefford [4]
Category: Who Killed Markiplier? (Web Series)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Character Death, Fluff, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Late at Night, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Night Terrors
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 06:19:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19458133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daisyisawriter91/pseuds/daisyisawriter91
Summary: A series of one-shots centering around Detective Abe and James Shefford.





	1. Partners

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: Major Character Death

James was getting used to odd cases surrounding Abe. It almost seemed as though he was incapable of receiving normal cases. Or perhaps he just didn’t accept normal cases, as he was bad at solving them.  
James didn’t even bat an eyelash when Abe said a suspect in a murder was an umbrella stand. Not a murder weapon, which would have been odd enough. A suspect.  
James looked up from his notebook to see Abe, standing before a huge cork board. Pictures, newspaper clippings, various bags of evidence, all pinned to the board, tied with red yarn. Abe was frustrated, biting his lip, brow furrowed. He was desperately trying to solve this case, clearly to his own detriment. It was something James loved and hated about him.  
James set down his pen with a sigh, making a mental note of his page. Abe’s eyes didn’t leave the board.  
“Abe,” James called, softly. Abe startled, almost imperceptibly, shoulders relaxing when he looked over to James. “Abe, my love, you’re driving yourself mad.” James said.  
“I know, I know, I just…can’t figure it out. I’m so close…” Abe replied, mania and weariness mingling in his voice.  
“I understand that, love. But you must take a breather. You’ll never solve it like this.” James said. He stood, maneuvering around the desk, coming to stand beside Abe. He gently rested his hand on Abe’s back, feeling the muscles loosen underneath his touch.  
Abe sighed, turning to face James. “You know I’m no good at relaxing, Jamie.”  
James moved his hands to cup Abe’s cheeks, rubbing small circles with his thumbs. “That’s why I’m here, my darling.” James stretched his neck to kiss Abe, softly.  
James had kissed Abe countless times before, but it never failed to make his heart leap. Abe had a way of making James into putty.  
Abe’s arms circled James’s torso, leaning over him. James touched the back of Abe’s head. James felt Abe smile against his lips. Smiling was a rarity, nowadays, as cases got harder and harder. But he always seemed to spare a smile for James.  
Abe broke their kiss, pausing to look at James for a long moment. James smiled at him, righting himself.  
“Why don’t you let me have a look at the board? A second pair of eyes never hurts.” James suggested, hopefully. Abe smiled back at him.  
“Why didn’t I think of that before? Your brain is in the top five most amazing things about you.” Abe said, straightening his spine, but not letting James go.  
“Top five? What are the other four?” James teased. Abe’s smile turned to a smirk.  
“Your ass,” Abe began. James felt his cheeks heat up. He brought it on himself, he knew. “Your smile,” Abe’s face softened. “Your heart,” James resisted the urge to bury his face in Abe’s shoulder. “And everything else about you. That’s my top five.”  
“Nobody gives you credit for how sappy you are.” James mumbled, not meeting Abe’s eyes. Abe released his hold, allowing James to step towards the board.  
James heard Abe pull up a chair to watch his process, but James didn’t watch him. He was focused on the board. Suddenly, he understood precisely where Abe was coming from. It was easy to get lost in a case.  
“Oh. Okay. Here!” James said, triumphantly. He grabbed Abe’s ball of red yarn and ripped off a piece, connecting two pins together.  
Abe stood, abruptly, amazement on his face as he looked at James’s connection. “That’s…right on the mark. How did you…?”  
James turned to Abe, grin on his face. “Sometimes you’re looking too closely to see the answer.”  
Abe was still for a moment before surging forward, grabbing James, and lifting him into the air. James quickly grabbed onto Abe’s shoulders, laughing as he was spun around.  
Abe stopped their momentum.  
“You did great, partner.” Abe commended. James wasn’t sure his face could stretch any further. “If we get this wrapped up now, we got time for a quickie before Mark’s whole shindig.” He reasoned. James ignored the blush on his face.  
“I like the way you think, detective.” James purred the last word. Abe halted a moment.  
“Reverse those first two things.”  
James laughed.

Of all the lost partners in Abe’s wallet, he never anticipated one of them to be James. He never anticipated anything worse than a small stumble or a stubbed toe happening to James.  
And while it was true, James’s picture wasn’t in his wallet, James was amongst the fallen. His picture hung on the wall, and rested on Abe’s desk. They were reminders.  
He wasn’t just getting revenge for a bullet wound. He was getting revenge for James. His lover. His partner.  
Though it was still up in the air who actually…did it. Abe had gone over the list of suspects in his mind several times, and none of them made any sense.  
James’s death had taken place just before Mark’s, on the opposite side of the house. The butler had found him. Abe could still remember the scream, right before the worst heartbreak of his life.  
The death everyone could agree on seemed to be James. The Colonel had a feud with Mark, but Abe could have sworn he’d been crying upon learning of James’s murder.  
It wasn’t likely to be Damien. The man was utterly harmless, and clearly hopelessly in love. It wasn’t the district attorney, Sam. They seemed like they would cry killing a wasp. And, loathe as Abe was to admit it, it wasn’t likely the Colonel was responsible.  
In his gut, Abe knew. He just didn’t want to believe it. He… _couldn’t_. Mark. The motives were unknown, but Abe knew, deep down.  
Abe took a long drink of whiskey, tracing its path down his throat.  
He sat atop his desk, not bothering with a sturdy chair. He could still feel James’s leg pressing against his, sitting on the desk beside him as they often did.  
Abe pondered the glass in his hand before throwing it at the wall. The shatter was indescribably satisfying.  
He reached over to the framed photo on his desk and examined it, tracing James’s outline with his fingertips.  
His voice was broken when he finally summoned up words. “I’m…I’m sorry, James. I’m sorry I didn’t save you…”  
Gently, Abe pressed a kiss to the photo. It was as close as he’d ever get to the real thing ever again. He missed the real thing.  
The one partner Abe thought was exempt from whatever curse had been laid on him, had to be the one that meant the most.  
Just his luck.


	2. The Rush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abe has frequent nightmares about James's deaths. Are they just nightmares...?

All of Abe’s dreams seemed to be preparing him. He didn’t exactly believe in premonitions, or psychic abilities of any kind. Often, he just blamed it on deep seeded fears and heavy coincidences. Because often, the dreams came to pass, in one way or another.  
Abe’s dreams had predicted the death of his mother. Prepped him for it, so that he didn’t expect much from his father. So that he didn’t cry in front of his father.  
They’d been dormant for many years, but after Abe had met James while investigating a murder, the dreams returned. Worse than ever.  
The more he got to know James, the more vivid they got. The night after he kissed James for the first time, he woke up in a cold sweat. Most nights, he was afraid to sleep beside James, though he now slept in Abe’s bed. It seemed like a dream come true, the love of his life sleeping in his bed, but in reality, it was a waking nightmare.  
Abe had lost so much more sleep, pushing himself to his limits, sleeping in uncomfortable chairs only when he had to. He was starting to lose the ability to pretend he was alright, for James. He would be foolish to assume he’d ever truly convinced James of anything, though.  
The nightmare that kept him from a peaceful life with his love was the same every single time, just with varying levels of vividness.  
James was at the edge of a building, teetering dangerously close to the edge. And something always pushed him off. Abe was on the ground, running to catch him. The dream always ended before he could see if he made it in time. That was the most terrifying part. If Abe knew either way, it could…help.  
Abe took a sip of water. He’d promised himself to stop drinking so heavily, if only for James’s sobriety. He didn’t want James to feel as though he had to time kisses properly.  
It was another late night, it appeared. He’d sleep on the couch, then crawl back into bed after the sun rose and spoon James until he woke up.  
Abe decided to catch up on some work, rifling through his most recent case file. His eyes were tired, more than usual. His lack of sleep was taking a massive toll on him, but anything was better than the nightmare.  
“Abe?”  
Abe startled at the voice, trying not to choke on his water. He looked at the doorway to his office to see James, wearing one of Abe’s shirts that hung a bit too loosely and thin cotton pants. He was painfully adorable, and Abe suddenly wanted nothing more than to sleep beside him.  
“What are you doing, love?” James asked, gently. He looked as though he’d just woken up.  
“Nothing. Just getting some work done. Go back to bed.” Abe said, trying to wave it off. He knew as soon as he said it that it wouldn’t work. James didn’t work like that.  
James sat cross legged on top of Abe’s desk. “Tell me everything.” James said, waking himself up, slightly.  
Abe sighed, setting down his file. There was no avoiding this conversation, it seemed. Maybe it would be better if he talked about it?  
“I’ve been prone to nightmares, all my life. Before I met you, they were…dormant, for a while. When you came into my life, they came back with a vengeance. Every time, the same goddamn thing. You’re falling to your death, and I never know if I’m going to catch you.”  
“Abraham, darling, I’m clumsy, but I’m not _that_ clumsy.” James joked, smiling, sleepily. “I know it doesn’t mean much, as someone who’s rather prone to nightmares. But trust me, that will not to come to pass. And on the off chance it does, you’ll catch me.”  
Abe looked into James’s eyes, knowing his face looked pathetic, pleading for an answer. “But how can you say that? How do you know that I’ll get there in enough time?” Abe asked. James leaned forward, cupping his face.  
“I _know_. My luck in everything else is abysmal, but when it comes to you, detective Lincoln, you’re my number seven. So, on the off chance I do plummet towards my death and you’re on your way to catch me, I know you will. So please. Come to bed with me, and get some sleep.” James pleaded.  
Abe grabbed James’s hand and held it, considering. “Okay. But I’m sorry if I wake you up again.” Abe agreed.  
“Easily worth it.” James said.  
Abe abandoned his work as he allowed James to lead him back to their bedroom.  
He didn’t dream at all.

It was happening. Oh God, it was _happening_. One of the suspects in Abe’s case had kidnapped James, and holding him at the top of a building. The exact one from Abe’s dreams.  
He wouldn’t allow them to come true. Not this time.  
Abe ran into the building, but not to the rooftop. That would blow his chances of saving James.  
Instead, he stopped three floors down from the top and broke through a window. The building, thankfully, was an abandoned project, scheduled for condemning.  
The waiting was the worst part. Waiting for the moment that would either allow him to breathe a sigh of relief and sleep peacefully once more, or for when he lost his life as he knew it.  
Abe didn’t hear it so much as see it. James made no sound as he fell, not a single scream. It made everything so much worse.  
“James!” Abe shouted, hoping his voice would be heard above the sound of the wind. He reached out, stretching as far as his arm would allow him, and grabbed James’s wrist. James, looking utterly shocked, managed to grab back with both arms.  
Abe helped him inside, pulling him into a fierce embrace. “Jesus, James, I…” Abe didn’t even have the words. He almost felt like he could throw up from the aftermath of the adrenaline.  
James clung to him, shaking, trembling. He didn’t say anything. Abe didn’t need him to. Just the fact he was alive was enough.  
Abe had caught him, after all. Closure was a bitch.


	3. In It Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James and Abe go through hell. But they're together. And that's all that matters.

There were a lot of downsides to the modern era. Abe could list ten right off the top of his head. But one of his favorite things about the decade they lived in was the music. The infectious jazz that sunk under your skin and clung to your bones.  
Abe could listen to it all day. He was lucky that James could, as well. He happily let Abe play records for hours on end in the office, in the apartment they shared, anywhere. He even played it, himself.  
Abe was pinning evidence to his board, ready to dive into a new case. Victim killed with a lollipop. Nasty business.  
Behind him, he could hear James shuffling around. Lifting the needle of the gramophone, settling it into a groove. Abe couldn’t help the smile on his face.  
James stood beside him, grabbing a photograph from the table. The crime scene. He grabbed a tack and thought for a moment before pinning it towards the center.  
They repeated the process several more times, pinning things to the board strategically. Occasionally, their hands brushed together. Abe wasn’t ashamed at the small tingles he felt at the contact.  
Abe glanced over at James, who met his eyes. They smiled at each other. Abe had never had that type of connection before. Where you could just look at someone and find yourself smiling. Now that he had it, he wouldn’t trade it.  
Abe surveyed their work and nodded, determinedly. “There’s something here.” Abe said, smiling. “Definitely something to be found.”  
“Shall I make us some food?” James asked, already sounding exhausted. He often did, nowadays.  
“I’m no gonna force you, James.” Abe reminded.  
“I know. I want to.” James insisted. He looked Abe in the eyes with a wry smile. “I’m sorry, did you think it was just for you? You’re not the only one who’s hungry, my love.”  
Abe chuckled, watching James head to the doorway of the office. But there was something he had to ask.  
“James?” Abe called, stopping James in his tracks. “Why’d you choose this life? It obviously wasn’t your first choice. So why’d you choose it?”  
James looked at Abe as though it were the stupidest question he’d ever heard. “I chose it…because of you.”  
“C’mon, James, I can’t be worth all the bullshit of this life.” Abe argued.  
“Abe, one day you will realize that what you think of yourself isn’t true, I guarantee. Until then, and likely long afterwards, we’re in this together. And I’m going to stuff you full of food like my grandmother taught me to do.” James replied, tone further driving home that it was a simple fact of his universe.  
“Thank you.” Abe’s voice broke.  
“My pleasure.” James replied, giving a small flourish of his hand before disappearing from the room.

The board was half full, theories still ruminating in the air. Some more outlandish than others, and Abe had no other excuse than it was late, and that he and James were full of ravioli.  
“Listen. Listen,” James said, half asleep, spread out across Abe’s desk.  
“I’m listening.” Abe replied, matching his tone.  
“What if, and this is just a theory, what if you killed Ms. Harper?” James suggested.  
“Are you calling me a murderer?” Abe asked, not even really offended.  
“I would support you one hundred percent, I’m sure you had your reasons. But you could easily get away with it. A trusted detective solving the murder of one of _his_ victims?”  
“It’s the perfect crime.” Abe realized.  
“Exactly. Confess. I won’t tell, I swear. I’ll even help you cover it up.”  
“While it’s flattering how easily you would agree to hide a murder, I didn’t kill her. I don’t even like lollipops.” Abe said, referring to the murder weapon.  
“Further incrimination. You hated both her and the murder weapon so much you combined them.” James clapped his hands together. “Solved it.”  
“You did such a great job, Jamie.” Abe commended. “Cuff me, officer, I’m guilty!” James giggled.  
He rolled over on the desk and grabbed Abe’s face, pulling him in for a haphazard kiss that he couldn’t maintain for long.  
“Okay, I’m taking you to bed. You’re too loopy to continue this investigation.” Abe insisted, pulling himself up.  
“When you’re right, you’re right.” James allowed. Abe picked him up off the desk with ease and carried him to their bed.  
Abe made to leave after pulling up the covers, but was quickly stopped when he was pulled onto the bed.  
“You’re not getting off that easy, sir. You’re sleeping or I’m not sleeping. In it together, remember?” James reminded, half-slurring.  
“In it together.” Abe repeated.  
The case could wait a night. He would have more time to solve it in the morning. For now, he was going to sleep, his partner beside him. Together.


End file.
